Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(49)

I guess that explains the horror on most of the people’s faces who could see me in between life and death.

After all, I’m as bad as it fucking gets. I’m sure I have a reputation.

“I take it back,” I say as I swallow hard, my eyes tearing away from Lamar to look at each of my guys individually. “I don’t want a badass name.”





Chapter 14


“Paca,” Lamar says on a choked sound, causing me to turn back to him as a lone tear rolls down his cheek.

He opens his mouth to say more, but only a strained sound comes out. I guess believing and seeing are two different things in this case, because he almost looks like he can’t believe what he’s seeing, when he believed it before this moment with no problem.

“How do you have your own body?” he asks on a shaky breath, his eyes trailing down and…then his head jerking back as confusion creases his features. “And what the hell are you wearing?” he asks, less reverent and more incredulous.

I glance down, remembering I am indeed still wearing the sexy Devil costume.

“An outfit that wasn’t quite so ironic when initially chosen,” I say absently.

His grin spreads so wide, and tears wobble in his eyes as he laughs so genuinely that it warms me.

“You said Lucifer knew. Who else knows?” Jude asks him, moving closer.

Lamar blinks, returning his attention to him. “Too many people have likely figured it out. Especially since the trials. The second trial always ends up killing the echo quads, even though they put the rumor out there that some survive.”

“Echo quads?” Ezekiel asks him. “You keep mentioning that.”

Lamar grabs some books from behind him, and he starts putting them on the desk as he talks.

“Echo quads. There are so many echoes. The Gemini Twins were the first pair. Their echoed pairs are stronger than echoed quads. Echoes don’t have the same fierce bond as the originals—you. There was one obstacle to always drive out the posers in case the four of you ever returned home. You’d never leave a man behind.”

My mind flicks back to Kai’s injured leg, and the terrible options we had at hand. They would have died beside him before leaving him behind.

He hands them a book, and Gage warily takes it.

“That one is everything on your origins,” Lamar tells him.

“It’s blank,” Gage says as he opens it.

“It’s the only one. We never wanted anyone else trying to recreate the four of you. If you want to read it, spill your blood and start reading. The words will appear in whatever language you choose,” Lamar tells him distractedly as he grabs what looks like a journal.

“These are all my notes on you and several other sets of quads I suspected to be…well, you,” Lamar tells Ezekiel, handing it to him.

Ezekiel takes it and tucks it into the back of his jeans, not looking directly at me.

“These will tell you all her purities and impurities so you can understand her better,” Lamar tells them as he hands Jude a thinner book.

“Say what now?” I ask, holding my hand up.

Lamar grins over at me a little sadly.

“You have no memories at all?” he asks quietly.

“I have certain bits of knowledge, but no memories.”

He nods slowly, as though that’s finally sinking in. “Then I should warn you not to trust anyone on the surface. Right now, the ones who remember you want you dead. Again. And they’ll kill your boys to get to you. You’re all weaker topside.”

My stomach tilts.

“If they die, do they heal like I did?” I ask.

“I’m not really sure what will happen to them, to be honest. Their bodies were destroyed, and since you’d given them each a piece of your balance as protection, you made them as immortal and untouchable as you were—back then. Now? You spent a month healing topside for an injury that could have been instantly healed here. I’m not sure if they still hold that piece of you,” Lamar tells me honestly. “Because I have no idea how you did any of this.”

His eyes stay on mine, seeming to want to say more, but holding back for whatever reason. I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t want to say it in front of them, or because he’s worried about overwhelming me, or if he’s hiding something.

All three are valid and reasonable options.

“How did I give them a piece of my balance to keep them safe?” I ask him.

His lips curve in a grin. “It figures that’d be the first question you ask. You see, when you gave them that piece of you, you said you started to feel more. Soon, the five of you were inseparable. Those pieces pulled your souls into one bond, and it made you all invincible. Or so we thought. But it certainly made you all…better.”

“The piece is still in all of us,” Gage says quietly. “That’s why it was so hard to fight.”

“Gee, thanks for making it sound like I forced you into this, when I clearly just saved your lives,” I state dryly.

He cracks a grin at me, cupping my chin and letting his thumb roll over my cheek. He leans down, his lips ghosting my cheek as he reaches my ear and whispers too quietly for anyone else to hear.

“I’m not complaining. I’m just glad to finally have answers. You really are ours,” he says, his fingers moving across my neck so sweetly yet erotically at the same time.